General utility brush



Dec. l, 19.42. E. M. scHlcKEl. 2,303,560

GENERAL UTILITY BRUSH File May 2a, 1941 CM W3 IN V EN TOR.

I 26m/AME c/f/c/ra f7@ 5 BY atented Dec. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES TENTOFFICE 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to what is commonly called hand brushesand has for its objects providing a brush having general utility inkitchens, bathrooms, oices, laundries, dairies, etc.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a brush of theclass which can be manufactured at low cost and is eiiicient anddurable.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a brush whichcan be readily cleaned and thereby kept sanitary.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a brush in aform which can be readily bent into a shape which is adapted for dustingor cleaning surfaces otherwise difficult to reach.

An object of my invention is to provide cleaning material for the brushwhich may be made in various shapes. .For example, the end may bepointed or round for insertion into small openings and this material maybe made square, elliptical, triangular, rectangular or otherwise incross section.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaningmaterial which will hold water in different degrees of saturation so thebrush may be used for wet cleaning or dry dusting.

The present invention relates to an elongated brush which may be bentbodily and inserted into what would otherwise be considered inaccessibleplaces.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaningmaterial similar to a sponge or sponge rubber having suction qualitiesso as to pick up the dust and moisture and prevent it from escaping intothe air and alighting on other surfaces.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brush having acleaning element which can be easily removed and replaced.

An obvious object of the present invention is to provide a brush whichcan be used any place a cleaning cloth can be used and for the samepurposes.

An important object of my invention is to supply a firm holding meanssurrounded by the cleaning member which is held in a manner to preventaccidental tearing or loosening of the material from its holder.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide abrush having two different cleaning elements, one being bristles similarto a bristle brush and the other being made of porous material and shapethe brush so these elements may be used separately or simultaneously.

To these and other useful ends, my invention consists of parts,combinations of parts, or their equivalents, and mode of operation, ashereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingin which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one design of my improved brush.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of another design of my improved brush.

Fig. 3 illustrates a still further design of my improved brush.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a fractional view of the preferred form of bar on which thesponge element is mounted.

Fig. 6 is a fractional plan View of a modifica-I tion of the holdingbar.

Fig. 'I illustrates a short portion of the filler strip used in thedesign shown in Figure 6.

Fig. 8 is a modification illustrating a design wherein the handle andholding bar are formed integral.

Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating two of the manyoptional shapes in cross section of the cleaning element.

As thus illustrated, the preferred form of my improved brush is providedwith a handle I0 which may be of any form and made from any suitablematerial. In Figures l, 2 and 3 I have shown these handles as made c-fwood.

I provide a bar or cleaning member holder preferably in the form oftwisted wires II-II- which have preferably bristles I2 and I3. Thesebristles are placed between the wires before twisting after which thebristles are trimmed to the desired length in a manner too well known torequire further description.

In the simplest form of my improved brush, as illustrated in Figure 1,the porous cleaning member I4 is slightly lo-nger than the protrudingend of the bar and having a small orifice for the snug reception of thebar. In this design, all of the bristles are trimmed short, asillustrated. Ihus when member I4 is forced over` the bar, as ilustratedin Figure 1, bristles I3 will eX- tend into the cleaning material, thusto rmly hold this member from accidentally turning or moving on the bar.In this gure, I have shown the free end of member I4 as being rounded.

In Figure 2, I illustrate a modification wherein bristles I2 areprovided for a short distance having an outside diameter about equal tothe size of the cleaning member I5. The part of the bar surrounded bythis cleaning material is supplied with bristles I3 as in Figure l. Thefree end of member I5 may be pointed or edged as at I6 so this end maybe inserted into otherwise inaccessible openings or grooves.

In the gures, it will be understood that the bars are exible enough sothey may be bent in any desired shape. For example, as shown in Figure 2for purposes which will be obvious.

In Figure 3 I illustrate a modification wherein a considerable length ofbar is provided with bristles I2. The remainder being provided with aporous cleaning member I'I, the bar being formed as shown, the endsextending into handle I6. In this design, member I1 and bristles I2 areat all times available for use either simultaneously or individually.

In Figure 4, I illustrate the cleaning member as being square. However.this member in cross section may be any desired shape, either round,rectangular, triangular, as shown in Figure 9, elliptical as shown inFigure or any other suitable shape.

In Figures 6 and '7, the bar is made from two wires I8-I8 and a thinflat strip I5 is laid between the wires so when they are twistedtogether, they will form a bar about as indicated in these figures.Strips I9 may be notched on their edges as at 20. The object of thestrip is to more firmly grip the rubber and prevent end movement orturning or answer as a substitute for bristles I3.

In Figure 8, I illustrate a bar and handle formed integral. That is, oneor more wires may be formed into a handle 2I midway their length andthen twisted together to thereby form a bar 22 having preferablybristles I3 upon which is placed a. cleaning member 23. This design isparticularly suited for small low priced brushes.

It will be understood that cleaning members I4, I5, I'I and 23 are madefrom sponge, sponge rubber, synthetic rubber or any suitable resilientsubstitute.

Clearly the bars may be differently formed. It is however, desirablethat they be formed as illustrated, and supplied with additional holdingmeans which extend into the cleaning member as illustrated.

Having thus shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a handle having a holdingbar protruding a considerable distance therefrom, said bar comprisingtwisted wires, said protruding end having relatively short bristlestherearound, a resilient porous member having an orice for the receptionof and being positioned on said protruding end.

CII

2. A device of the class described, comprising a handle, a holding meanscomprising a bar formed of tightly twisted wires, their ends contactingfor a distance and being inserted into said handle, the remainder of theholder being formed in a loop, and having bristles between the wires, atleast one side of said loop having mounted thereon an elongatedsponge-like element, the bristles thereunder protruding outwardly ashort distance y and adapted to extend into said element, the bristlesof the remainder of the loop formingv a brush member about the same sizeas said spongelike element.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a handle having a holdingbar protruding a considerable distance therefrom, said bar comprisingtwisted wires and bristles therearound, the bristles adjacent saidhandle for a distance being considerably longer than the bristles on theremainder of the bar, a resilient porous element having a relativelysmall orifice and being positioned on said bar and over the shortbristles.

4. A device of the class described, comprising an elongated holder andan elongated spongelike element positioned on said holder, said holdercomprising two tightly twisted wires and means therebetween havingmembers which protrude outwardly for a short distance and being adapted'to extend into said sponge-like element to thereby firmly hold theelement on the holder.

5. A device of the class described, comprising one or more wires formedin e, handle midway the length thereof, the remainder of the wires beingtwisted forming a bar and having bristles between the twists whichprotrude slightly, a sponge rubber member being positioned over said barand bristles.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a handle, a holderprotruding for a distance from said handle, an elongated sponge-likeelement positioned on said holder, the protruding end of said holdercomprising two or more tightly twisted wires and bristles therebetween,their ends protruding outwardly a short distance and adapted to extendinto said sponge-like element to thereby firmly hold the element on theholder.

7. A device of the class described, comprising an elongated `holder andan elongated spongelike element Positioned on said holder, said holdercomprising two or more tightly twisted wires with bristles therebetween,their ends protruding outwardly a short distance and adapted to extendinto said sponge-like element to thereby rmly hold the element on theholder.

ELGEVA M AE SCHICKEL.

